April, 2020

April 2020

model, travel photographer, dog owner, student spotlight | are pipelines friend, foe, or somewhere in between? | illustrations of a daydreamer | greenwashing | runway rebels | you choose your words | and more!

there are

flowers

outside Due to the COVID-19 crisis, this month’s issue of Link will only be published online. Our editors and contributors have adjusted to the crisis by practicing social distancing while producing this month’s content around the environment and social justice.

The f lowers we see today are the seeds of yesterday. Likewise, the hard work and grind that all BCIT students are going through now will yield rewards soon.

In our April issue, we wanted to ref lect upon the changes over the past few decades, which have brought about our current social climate. Changes ranging from the murky bureaucratic policies that have impacted our environment, to the ever-evolving social justice movements for women and the LGBTQAI2S+ community. The efforts of many people from yesterday have fostered the changes that we experience and live out today.

As we set our sights on reaping the fruits of our labour, issues to do with allyship are called into question. Are we effectively pitching in our share to make the environment we live in a better place? Or have we bought into a system that’s self-defeating without knowing it? These are the kinds of questions you’ll find yourself asking as you go through the effects of greenwashing, our climate crisis, and the language around inclusivity at BCIT. COVID-19 has certainly made this last stretch of the semester a bit unusual for all of us. Remember you’re not alone. Please try to stay safe and alert during this crisis.

— Chantel Tanaka Tsvetu, Associate Editor

LINK | April 2020

While we strive to do what we can to have a positive effect on our environment, we wait patiently to see the seeds we’re planting bloom in the coming seasons.

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rev iew s

ISSN 0715-5247 (Print) ISSN 2562-3257 (Online)

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We feature exceptional people in our community, big ideas in a changing world, and evolving social dialogue.

We welcome writers, photographers and artists of all backgrounds and abilities.

Our purpose is to provide a collaborative platform for student expression, and to connect you with one another’s stories and experiences.

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Printed editions are distributed to all five BCIT campuses & additional content is published online at linkbcit.ca

Have an idea? Contact us! editor@linkbcit.ca | linkbcit.ca Link Magazine would like to respectfully acknowledge that it is printed and distributed on the traditional & unceded territory of the Coast Salish peoples.

3700 Willingdon Ave. SE2 Building, 3rd Floor Burnaby, BC V5G 3H2 604. 451. 7191

APRIL 2020

cover photo

by Joseph Wu

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Rhi Forsyth, Maria Diment, Darren Piper, Mustafa Akhtar, Vishal Pillay, Roshan Nate (designed pages 1-3) Gaeun Lee (designed pages 6-7)

r eo , fo in nd re frie he ? s: ew en ne m e eli so betw pip

CONTRIBUTORS

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Ali Pitargue, Senior Editor Lauren Edwards, Associate Editor Chantel Tanaka Tsvetu, Associate Editor Daniella Pettenon, Associate Editor Shaleeta Harrison, Publications Manager

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STAFF

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become a green shopper

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LINK   |   April 2020

a d strati ayd ons rea of me r

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SIP THIS Sovereign OpaL Conviction Wines I’ve never been one to drink casually but after starting as a fulltime student, I’ve definitely come close. During the COVID-19 quarantine period with ample time to cook a nice dinner, I treated myself to a nice bottle to go with it.

Okanagan label Conviction Wines (Sandhill Winery, Kelowna) knew what they were doing when they created “The Industrialist” Sovereign Opal in 2014. The smooth pour is classified as a mediumbodied Pinot Grigio (i.e. it’s designed to complement a variety of foods) and designed for fruit-loving palettes.

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It’s a fresh tasting white, good for someone like myself who enjoys the occasionally Riesling. Also, this wine is noteworthy because it’s inexpensive ($14.50) and it’s delicious. Some of the tasting notes are fruity and floral aromas—with pear and melon flavours hitting the

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tongue, followed by an aftertaste of refreshing apple and lemon. I don’t need to be a sommelier to say Sovereign Opal has exceptional qualities for a BC Pinot Grigio within that price range.

If you plan to stop by downtown Kelowna this summer, I recommend going into Sandhill Winery for a tasting.

Conviction’s recommended pairings: Grilled pork chops, salmon quiche, mild Indian curry, baked chicken in light cream sauce or baked brie with pita bread.

My recommended pairings: Pita bread, garlic hummus, Season 2 of The Crown, a good friend, and an aloe vera/green tea face mask.

—Lauren Edwards

LISTEN

TO THIS

Funeral Lil' Wayne

Wayne’s versatility is the main defining factor on the album. His rapping style goes from an East Coast flow in “Stop Playin' with Me” to his hometown tempo of New Orleans in “Clap For Em.” “Mahogany” is the real star; we see Wayne’s lyrical capabilities as he raps about how many things can be made from mahogany.

There are many references to the late Kobe Bryant within the album.

For starters, the album contains 24 tracks, which was Bryant’s famous jersey number while on the Los Angeles Lakers. Wayne also made his eighth song (Bryant’s other famous number) a tribute song titled “Bing

James.” Not to mention, the song ends with a 24-second gap, leading many fans to take an honorary moment of silence.

Kobe Bryant’s passing left a hole in many hearts. Within those 24 seconds, Wayne made us remember Kobe. His mamba mentality on and off the court made me realize that he was bigger than basketball. To many, including me, it still doesn’t feel real.

In my opinion, Funeral didn’t live up to the hype as much as its predecessor, Tha Carter V. did. Many songs didn’t seem to tie together, which left the album feeling disconnected. Unfortunately, this album favors quantity over quality. We have seen Wayne produce many great albums, but this one falls a bit short Conclusion: It’s good, but not one to remember.

—Vishal Pillay

LINK | April 2020

Lil Wayne has finally released the awaited follow up to his 2018 album Tha Carter V. This is his 13th album and features artists such as Big Sean, 2 Chainz, Jay Rock, Adam Levine, and the late XXXTentacion.

Funeral brings us back to his usual spitballing and freestyle. However, it felt inconsistent at times. With a wide variety of styles, the album felt uneven with its highs and lows.

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STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

ERIC J.W. LI A MODERN

RENNAISSANCE MAN words Chantel Tanaka Tsvetu

He explains, “I had to do some self-exploration on what other possibilities I could look into in this world outside of the prescribed programs that my parents had given me.” He feels the machinery focused program is made just for him and his “high energy pace.”

Initially, he took up travelling as a way to find a sense of self freedom. When he returned home from his travels in Iceland, Antarctica, and Asia, his quest for freedom seamlessly continued at BCIT in the Technology Teacher Education program. He took up the program with no prior experience in dealing with metal or automotive parts.

Now, he feels at home as he creates and learns the intricacies of automotive and metal objects. Before we start our building tour, Li points out one of his current projects: a forest green 2001 Ford Econoline.

As we walk together through the halls, Li reflects upon his time at BCIT. He’s about to graduate, and he says his favourite part of it all was coming to class and knowing he knew nothing about what he was about to learn. Understanding the concepts became a challenge he gladly took up.

With a background in organic chemistry, he says dealing with wood, metal, plastic, electrical wires, and automotive materials were all learning opportunities for him. He enjoyed learning how to create objects with his own hands.

“This program has been really fun. I’ve been able to create [things] I never thought would be possible. I spent about two weeks blacksmithing a sword simply because I thought it would be really cool to have a sword, like in Game of Thrones.”

That sword has been added to a set of bagpipes and other relics he has collected over the years from trying out new activities.

Li is always scoping out new activities, foods, and places. Anything new excites him. While dividing his time between travel photography, school, and volunteering with a local high school robotics team, his interests hardly seem to correlate. He says the only thing that connects them is his passion for new things.

“I'm all for trying stuff out like at least once. Sometimes that opportunity goes bad, and it doesn't work out. But I say, keep an open mind about it all and try it again.”

He has dabbled in modelling, and he was a swimming instructor before he aligned his eagerness to learn with his passion for teaching in the Technology Teacher Education program.

LINK | April 2020

“Let’s take a building tour.” Those were the first words out of Eric Li’s mouth when I met him in the foyer of the SW9 (School of energy) building on the Burnaby campus. SW9 is Li’s current refuge as he searches for freedom in his hobbies and schoolwork.

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“The really good teachers are the ones that not only teach you content but inspire you to be driven in a good direction for your life. I had a really good elementary school teacher who inspired me to have a really good work ethic and to be detail-orientated.”

“What sparked me to learn about portrait photography was the bokeh effect—the camera melts the foreground and background to isolate the subject. I looked at that and thought ‘ooh, melted cheese.’

I wanted bokeh.”

After working in the paper industry alongside his parents, and then deciding to go travel for a while, he became reflective about the way he wanted to live his life. He says travelling to these remote and icy areas reshaped his worldview because it gave him a sense of limitlessness. The world didn’t feel closed in anymore.

From there, he moved onto landscape photography that seemed as big and overwhelming as his subjects. The natural beauty of the earth drew him to landscape photography, and he uses techniques from portrait photography in his landscape photography.

His travels and modelling experience sparked his love for photography. He started in portrait photography as a way of trying to reclaim control over how his photoshoots were done.

“I’m not a huge fan of city buildings because you can get that anywhere, but you can’t really create a mountain range like the Himalayas anywhere else. Camping on icebergs in Antarctica and Iceland was very emotional for me. I felt very small and insignificant and that the world was really big.”

Sustaining a knee injury from a seasonal game of ultimate frisbee and then losing half of the muscle mass of his left leg put him under house arrest for a little while. He says the injury was traumatic, but it gives him a whole new level of appreciation for what life has to offer.

LINK | April 2020

“For me, travelling is self-freedom. When I’m out in a specific location, let’s say on top of a mountain, I can scream on the mountain range and listen to the echoes. There’s no one to judge you. In a city, there’s millions of us. We feel sheltered—living in a bubble, and sometimes you get complacent.”

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“You must come first because you are going through a journey in your life, and you get to live it once. So, you want to live it out in the most fulfilling way for yourself.”

lenses, it’ll make your photography better. But it’s like anything else.

If you buy a giant machine and you don’t know how to use it, it’s wasted, right?”

He likes to think of his camera as a diary. Li says memories fade, but the moments captured in a photo, timestamped, remain ingrained as the hands of time move.

He coupled his gear with some live online workshops from CreativeLive and Youtube, and he found himself carving out a niche in travel photography. He shared a pro-tip he learned while transitioning from portrait photography to travel photography: “If you’re entering photography, you kind of want to have everyone look at everything in the photo. But in fact, what you want to do is simplify it.”

“It’s a personal goal of mine to go through that five years of backlog.

I’m so far behind in the game [photography] there’s no point in trying to catch up. I know I’m doing a good job for myself through these photos and doing a good edit on them so that my friends or whoever wants to see them can appreciate them.”

When I asked Li about what he’d like to do after graduating, his response was simple

Li admits that photography is an expensive hobby. He says some people pour out a “bajillion” dollars in the hopes of honing in on the craft, but he argues that it doesn’t have to be that way. In his experience, used lenses work just as well as new lenses.

Although many uncertainties lie after graduating from BCIT, Eric Li is looking forward to the outcome. He’ll soon start pouring his efforts into teaching high school students, and he believes that they hold untapped potential. As for his varying and ever-evolving hobbies in sports, photography and travelling, he sees them as remaining a core part of his identity.

“There’s a misconception in the photography community that if you buy good gear, like if you spend thousands of dollars on cameras and

Clemmie Cao Photography

“I haven’t been to the big Burning Man in Nevada, but I definitely plan on going this year.”

Brian Wong Photography

LINK | April 2020

During his travels, he takes in the grandeur of the landscapes he has visited. Later, he edits and publishes one photo a day. Is the exercise taxing? Oh, yes, it is! Li designates one to two hours every day to edit and post a photo.

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TO DECOLONIZE NATURE IS TO CONSERVE IT. INDIGENOUS PEOPLES PROTECT 80% OF THE WORLD’S BIODIVERSITY DESPITE ONLY MAKING UP 5% OF THE GLOBAL POPULATION. LAND CONSERVATION EFFORTS LOOK TO TRADITIONAL INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE TO MEND HUMANS’ DYNAMIC WITH THE EARTH.

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words Ali Pitargue

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The woodland caribou is listed as ‘threatened’ under Canada’s Species at Risk Act.1 This is due to habitat deterioration, which often involves human activities such as industrial development, resource extraction, deforestation, and hunting or poaching.

In Edéhzhíe, however, the woodland caribou are better protected. They survive best in vast, undisturbed forest lands where they can readily access their food sources and avoid predators. Twice the size of Banff National Park, Edéhzhíe is 14,249 square-kilometres of land that the Dehcho people safeguard from excessive human interference.

According to Dehcho elders like Jonas Antoine, Edéhzhíe is considered their people’s breadbasket due to its natural richness.2 The region is composed of a unique blend of ecosystems—wetlands, forests, lakes, and rivers that house a wide range of wildlife.

Aside from the woodland caribou, it is also home to other endangered animals, like the wood bison. The area is also a migratory refuge for tundra swans and snow geese, and it protects the headwaters for most of the territory’s watershed.

These assets make Edéhzhíe a national touchstone of biodiversity, which is especially made possible by Indigenous land stewardship. Recent conservation research also shows that other Indigenous-managed lands across the world thrive similarly, making Indigenous-led land conservation key to holding off the wildlife extinction crisis. Preserving the environment could depend on decolonizing nature.

In October 2018, Edéhzhíe became Canada’s first Indigenous Protected Area (IPA).3 The Dehcho First Nations, in collaboration with the Canadian government, will assume leadership in the protection and management of Edéhzhíe’s ecological integrity. The Dehcho people will use their traditional knowledge and connection with the land to uphold healthy ecosystems. This includes patrols, research projects, and youth mentorship programs that were developed by the Edéhzhíe board. This declaration protects the area from economic exploitation.

The IPA formalizes the knowledge and work that the Dehcho people have been applying to Edéhzhíe for years. Similarly, groups across the world have been doing the handiwork in sustaining the natural world. Indigenous peoples protect 80% of the world’s biodiversity, despite only making up 5% of the global population.4 This finding is especially significant, given plenty of Indigenous people have been displaced from their land in favour of Western economic developments.

Dahti Tsetso, a resource management coordinator for Dehcho First Nations, says making Edéhzhíe a protected area is not just about preventing industrial development. “From the perspective of the Dehcho Dene, they want to have Edéhzhíe to help strengthen their relationship to the land.”5 According to a 2019 study led by UBC, lands managed by Indigenous people have shown the highest degrees of biodiversity.6 The researchers analyzed spatial data of land masses in Canada, Australia, and Brazil—three countries that have practiced Indigenous land stewardship. They found that lands under Indigenous tenure preserved the highest and most diverse organisms. “Indigenous land management practices have often been shown to result in higher rare and native species richness and less deforestation and land degradation than non-Indigenous practices.”

This means conservationists and ecologists may have to look to Indigenous knowledge in order to innovate worldwide land conservation ideals. The nature research journal, Nature Sustainability, cited some of the reasons why ecosystems

Nature Canada. 2019. Woodland Caribou.

Boreal Conservation. 2018. Edéhzhíe: Canada’s New Indigenous Protected Area. October 16.

3 Government of Canada. 2018. Edéhzhíe Protected Are. 4 The World Bank. 2017. INDIGENOUS PEOPLES. 5 Boreal Conservation. 2019. Edéhzhíe | Indigenous Protected Area Profiles. May 22.

6 Shuster, R et al. 2019. "Vertebrate biodiversity on Indigenous Managed lands in Australia, Brazil, and Canada equals that in protected areas."

Environmental Science and Policy 1-6.

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W

est of Yellowknife, toward the southwestern area of the Northwest Territories, we enter the ancestral lands of the Dehcho First Nations—a region full of terrestrial and aquatic habitats, home to over 250 species of flora and fauna. At the heart of the Dehcho region is Horn Plateau, or rather, what the Dehcho people prefer to call Edéhzhíe (eh-day-shae). Amidst these mountainous boreal forests, we might spot the elusive woodland caribou— commonly dubbed as the grey ghosts of the woods. Not just because they are shy and flighty, but also because their species is disappearing at a rapid rate.

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flourish under Indigenous stewardship. “Indigenous peoples’ unique ties with nature and their extensive Indigenous knowledge are providing pathways to re-evaluate existing conservation frameworks.”7 “Wildlife and resource management is augmented if local people provide their knowledge and experience,” says Steve Kallick, the director of Pew’s land conservation program.5 As a collaborator with the Edéhzhíe initiative, he says “the Western scientific world does not have access to the land and traditional knowledge of Indigenous communities.”

“Protected areas established based upon European wilderness ideals,” denotes Nature Sustainability, “typically prohibit Indigenous peoples from exercising their customary land uses and forcibly removed many Indigenous groups from their homelands.”

This also goes for areas not officially designated under Indigenous land stewardship. “Even for localities where Indigenous people are still in the process of regaining their land rights… a significant share of the planet depend on the institutions and actions of Indigenous people.”8

The biggest obstacles to fulfilling Indigenous land stewardship have to do with the lack of resources and unwilling collaboration. Government collaboration on Indigenous-managed lands “represent one potential route to achieving global targets for conservation and simultaneously advancing Indigenous rights to land, sustainable resource use, and human well-being.”

In 2010, Canada pledged on a slate of global biodiversity goals known as the Aichi targets9 (named after a convention in Aichi Prefecture, Japan). Canada’s Target 1 reads: “By 2020, at least 17% of terrestrial areas and inland water and 10% of coastal and marine areas are conserved through networks of protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures.”

It is now 2020, and achieving this target seems unlikely.

The Indigenous Circle of Experts then published a report detailing their recommendations to achieve this target. They stress that the involvement of Indigenous environment leaders is necessary.10 It calls for a paradigm shift in land management

Garnett, Stephen, John Fa, Neil Burgess, and Alvaro Fernandez-Llamasarez. 2018. "A spatial overview of the global importance of Indigenous lands in conservation." NatSustain 369-374.

8 Garnett, Stephen, John Fa, Neil Burgess, and Alvaro Fernandez-Llamasarez. 2018. "A spatial overview of the global importance of Indigenous lands in conservation." NatSustain 369-374.9 Government of Canada. 2018. Edéhzhíe Protected Are. 9 Convention on Biological Diversity. 2018. Aichi Biodiversity Targets. May 11.

10 Indigenous Circle of Experts. 2018. We Rise Together: Achieving Pathway to Canada Target 1. Report and Recommendations, Yellowknife: Gathering on Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas.

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away from colonized practices. However, due to colonization and the dispossession of lands they historically protected, many groups feel reluctant to collaborate with governments.

In this case, the Indigenous Circle of Experts advised implementing an ethical space—a collaborative venue that recognizes all knowledge systems; the purpose of the space is to facilitate the implementation of Indigenous ways in these processes. Through this, the circle advises that this space would enable them to work with governments to achieve their common goal of conservation.

and the recommendations of Indigenous experts, it is advisable for more areas in the country to be declared the same.

For species like the woodland caribou, the survival of their kind depends on the people’s handling of the land. Often, curbing animal endangerment rates is a matter of stopping environmentally damaging human activities. This can be enhanced by Indigenous people retaining governance of their ancestral lands. Not only is it a key step to reconciliation, but for the next generations of all species, the future would look more sustainable if we decolonize environmental movements and allow Indigenous activists to take charge.

Edéhzhíe is only the first to be recognized by Canada as an Indigenous Protected Area, but based off extensive research

“INDIGENOUS LAW STEMS FROM NATURAL LAW, WHICH IN TURN CAME FROM HIGHER UNIVERSAL PRINCIPLES CONNECTED TO OBSERVATIONS IN NATURE AND THE PRINCIPLE OF PEACEFUL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE REST OF CREATION IN TERMS OF DUTY, RESPONSIBILITY, AND GUARDIANSHIP OF LANDS AND WATERS.”

LINK | April 2020

— INDIGENOUS CIRCLE OF EXPERTS

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WE'VE ALL BEEN VICTIMS OF

Greenwashing

linkbcit.ca

Chantel Tanaka Tsvetu

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Greenwashing(n.)ยน: the act of misleading customers or potential customers into believing that a product is environmentally friendly.

The conversation around environmental sustainability was prevalent throughout the last decade. From changing our habits at home to green initiatives at our schools and workplaces, we continue to be confronted by the need to shift towards an environmentally-sustainable world. If you aren’t doing something to preserve the environment, you’re considered the bad guy, but is it really your fault?

Corporations haven't yet been able to adjust to the current climate conversation. Changing policy in the face of environmental activism is a mammoth task that risks profit and job security for a lot of companies. Procurement and production methods have been slowly—very slowly—improving, as companies attempt to undo a century worth of environmental damage.

Take, for example, the energy sector in Canada; they were responsible for around 52% of the greenhouse gas emissions in Canada in 2017, but they also employ about 82,000 people.² This industry has been around since the 1880s, and making a switch to green energy is a monumental—and complicated—project.

From predicaments like that, a nasty monster has been steadily growing: greenwashing. Corporations have been using public relations and marketing to paint a pretty picture of corporate social responsibility and to tie themselves to the conversation around environmental sustainability. It’s often a cover-up for all the non-sustainable practices in their production chains.

For example, in 2010, Chevron built Brightfield—an area for solar energy panels to power pumps and pipelines at the Kern River heavy oil facility. The project seemed like the right step towards clean energy, but the facility was built on one of their dirtiest oil facilities. At that time, Chevron was one of the biggest greenhouse gas emitters in the industry. The project was praised as “a clear example of Chevron trying to find ways to integrate innovative technologies in business.” That year, only 1.96% of Chevron’s budget was spent on green energy. ³ Building an environmentally friendly image boosts sales of products, and companies know that. When you walk in a supermarket and browse through the aisles, you will see the words organic, all natural, and environmentally friendly on a wide variety of packages. These will be the products most people reach for first.

A 2014 survey⁴ conducted at Ryerson University reported that 86% of Canadian adults are more likely to buy a green

product or service. Of that portion, 43% of them were willing to pay more for a product or service that claims to be ethically and responsibly manufactured and delivered. Phrases like environmentally sustainable, responsibly made, and all natural are used to attract customers to a product. Still, it’s questionable if the everyday consumer really knows what they really mean.

Did you know that there is no standard board definition for most labels? This leaves companies in a place where they are unaccountable and free to define these terms themselves. In the case of beauty products, labels like botanical or holistic could mean that a few extract drops were put in that product.

Those few drops could supplement a myriad of other harmful and lengthily named chemicals.

Corporate deception doesn’t end at misleading labels. A product’s outward appearance gives the impression that it’s good for the environment with an excessive use of earthy colours.

In 2007, TerraChoice outlined the methods in which greenwashing had taken form in what they termed “Sins of Greenwashing.” They concluded that companies used seven ways to greenwash their products: hidden trade-off, lack of proof, vagueness, irrelevant information, falsified third party endorsement, distraction, and false claims.

False claims do happen, and not just in small companies. In 2015, Volkswagen claimed that they regulated the carbon output of their machines. It was later discovered that their vehicles had technology that adjusted the carbon output only when tests were being run, not during regular use.

Clean technology innovations are on the rise, and the efforts of the companies that make these changes should be applauded. However, if companies continue to greenwash their marketing, it will be difficult for the average consumer to know what products are making a difference. Consumers can do their part by researching the claims made about products and services they use regularly. For example, knowing the names of the top ten harmful chemical ingredients in beauty products will allow you to avoid products that contain them.

The climate crisis needs an urgent response, and one way to do this is supporting companies that really are improving their practices. Awareness will help flatten greenwashing schemes and bring us all closer to actually undoing the environmental ruin that has been going on since 1880.

1 “Greenwashing.” Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster. ² “Energy and the Economy.” Natural Resources Canada, 26 Mar. 2020. ³ Pearce, Fred. “Chevron's Solar Panels Won't Clean up Its Filthy Oilfield | Fred Pearce.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 8 Apr. 2010. ⁴ Sca. “More Canadian Consumers Seeking Green Products and Services in CCurrent Economy.” More Canadian Consumers Seeking Green Products and Services in Current Economy, 24 Dec. 2018 5 “Sins of Greenwashing.” UL. ⁶ Hotten, Russell. “Volkswagen: The Scandal Explained.” BBC News, BBC, 10 Dec. 2015.

Illustrations of a

Daydreamer Under the pseudonym Maen Illustrates, Rhi Forsyth is a daydreaming illustrator and graphic designer from rainy Vancouver. Rhi enjoys working with a variety of mediums including traditional and digital illustration, watercolour painting, graphic design, photography, and content creation.

Her go-to tools for illustrating include her iPad Pro and Apple Pencil (along with the app Procreate), Mossery watercolour sketchbook, Holbein watercolours, and Sakura Pigma Micron pens. Rhi also enjoys sketching with Muji pens and sketchbooks – she believes that sketching with a pen can be a wonderful way to improve illustration skills as it forces an artist to work with and learn from their mistakes.

Rhi has always loved illustrating and began to draw and paint with intent in 2018.

In the Fall of 2019, she began the Fine Arts program at Langara College. After some consideration, Rhi decided to make the switch to the Graphic Design program at the British Columbia Institute of Technology. She felt that learning the strategic thinking and technical skills required for graphic design would help push her forward in her pursuit of a career in illustration. She is excited graduate in Spring 2020.

Rhi’s illustration style tends to include magical girls and witches, elements of nature, and foxes. Her style is influenced through literature and Japanese animation as well as through the works of Heikala, Luke Pearson, and Hayao Miyazaki. Rhi hopes to be able to work on more illustration projects for books and children's content, poster design, and product creation.

Follow @maenillustrates on Instagram and Twitter

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maenillustrates.com

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@VincentLins

Become a Green Shopper REDUCE YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT words Daniella Pettenon

We all know those second-to-last row classmates who are constantly shopping online during lectures (I stand guilty). Online shopping is too easy and a little addicting!

E-commerce has grown dramatically in the past decade— online retail stores now make a majority of the retail market share in comparison to general retail stores as of 2019.1 Amazon is currently leading the market with its Prime service, providing parcels for its customers in as little as one day. As comedian Ronny Chieng said, we’re just waiting for “Prime Now!”—for someone to immediately place the item into our hand after we click ‘purchase’.

Do you ever get a package from Amazon and wonder why they had to use such a big box? This alludes to one of many ways online shopping impacts the environment.

From excessive packaging to the fuel needed to transport, to the exhaust being discharged into the air when the delivery trucks are idling—the carbon footprint goes up.

A study2 by former Research Associate at MIT, Dimitri Weideli, looks at three groups of consumers: the traditional shopper, the cybernaut (the online shopper), and the cybernaut impatient (consumers who demand faster delivery regularly). The findings show that cybernaut impatient consumers have the largest carbon footprint; the majority of the emissions come from freight transportation and excessive singular packaging.

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How can we reduce our carbon footprint when we purchase goods? We don’t have to say goodbye to online shopping, but we should consider clustering our purchases by buying multiple products from one provider to make one purchase rather than multiple. Online shopping makes it so easy to just click and buy. It’s convenient when these e-commerce sites can store our credit card information, as well as anticipate our needs and consumer habits. By clustering

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our purchases, we can reduce the emissions of excessive packaging and decrease gas emissions from freight.

A significant contributor to e-commerce’s carbon footprint is customers sending back the items that don’t meet our expectations. One out of five purchases get sent back to the provider.3 This number is high because returns are generally free for the consumer.

Next time you receive an item that doesn’t quite fit your expectations, consider exchanging or returning the item in-person. This way, you can reduce the carbon footprint by 13%4 and you can ensure that you get exactly what you want. Additionally, avoid purchasing items online that are commonly unpredictable such as bathing suits, furniture, large appliances, and groceries.

Is traditional shopping an eco-friendlier option? Not necessarily. When looking at Weideli’s study,5 we see

that the cybernaut consumer emits the least carbon since customer transportation (of traditional shoppers) is the largest contributor out of the entire emission breakdown. If you share a living space with others, consider doing group orders to minimize transportation and packaging carbon emissions. Not only will you reduce your carbon footprint, but you will have opportunities to save money—shipping prices could be reduced, plus the price per item could decrease since companies favour high inventory turnover.

Before taking advantage of that 40% off sale at Banana Republic, ask your friends and family if they want in on the deal as well. The total cost per person will go down dramatically and you’ll be reducing your carbon footprint while you’re at it—both your pockets and mother nature will be happy.

Rooney, Kate. 2019. Online shopping overtakes a major part of retail for the first time ever. April 2.

Weideli, Dimitri. 2013. "Environmental Analysis of US Online Shopping." MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics. ³ Orendorff, Aaron. 2017. Shopify Plus. February 27.

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source: Weideli, 2013

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RUNWAY REBELS

FASHION MEETS PROTEST words LAUREN EDWARDS

Fashion is one of the most influential industries in the world. It can affect societal, political, and economic landscapes—it is a form of disruption and a catalyst for change.

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In the world’s current society, it’s no surprise to see more protests taking to the runways and red carpets. One example of a red-carpet protest was Natalie Portman’s cape, embroidered with the names of the female directors who were snubbed at the 2020 Oscars.

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NOT A NEW CONCEPT For decades, the multi-billion-dollar global industry saw authoritative figures in fashion using their platform to champion their causes. Actions like this are speckled throughout history. One example of this would be the American suffragettes, who wore tricolour-striped ribbons and badges—purple for loyalty and dignity, white for purity, and green for hope—while smashing the patriarchy in the 1910s.

Shortly after 1913, the image of the modern feminine woman was evoked with Chanel’s first suit for women. Although Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel was inspired by menswear, the trailblazing French designer repackaged the designs to mirror the status of post-war emancipation and empowerment.

"Chanel successfully developed a suit that accommodated the rapidly changing lifestyle of modern women. The fact that she began designing during the First World War is key; the war changed lives and ways of dressing across incomes, gender, and social classes,” as said in Iconic Designs:50 Stories About 50 Things (Grace Lees-Maffei, 2014).

Later came the slim-fitted suit, representative of the business woman who was just as serious about her career as her male counterparts. It was introduced in the 1970s and was aptly called ‘the power suit.’ A decade later, Italian designer Gorgio Armani helped women rediscover the idea of masculine zoot-suit style for more mobility when his oversized blazers came back into play.

SPORTING A PROTEST LOOK Other brands—such as Nike—have used their platform to show their solidarity with certain causes or supporting sports moguls in openly showing their activism through clothes. Following football player Colin Kaepernick kneeling during the US national anthem in protest of police brutality and racial inequality, Nike placed him as the face of their 2018 “Believe in Something” campaign.

“Believe in Something” also featured Serena Williams, who was told she was not allowed to wear her black ‘catsuit’ at the French Open that same year—because it was breaking dress code. The all-star tennis player wore her compression sleeves and tights to prevent blood clots following the birth of her daughter.

When it came time to compete in the US Open later that year, Williams stepped out on the first day in a one-sleeved leotard with a black tulle tutu and tights.

While it seemed frivolous, Williams’ begged the questions, Why do women have to wear certain outfits? Why does it matter anyway? The now-iconic ensemble was a collaboration between designer Virgil Abloh and Nike.

In 2019, Nike released a swimming hijab, tunic, and leggings, built for performance while maintaining full coverage. While it’s hard to miss exceptionally bold protests, at times, society doesn’t realize what has been missing from the market until it’s introduced or demanded.

United States Congress member Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was inspired by the suffragettes and Shirley Chisholm when she sported bold red lipstick, hoops, and a white suit at her inauguration. That day, Ocasio-Cortez tweeted, “I wore all-white today to honour the women who paved the path before me, and for all the women yet to come.” In 1968, Chisholm wore all-white while being sworn in as the first African-American woman in US Congress.

Chanel made a political comeback in 2015 when the late Karl Lagerfeld used his Spring/ Summer runway show to support women’s rights and the #MeToo movement. Models donned Chanel while holding picket signs saying “Ladies First” and “History is Her Story.”

SETTING THE TONE FOR MAKEUP Robyn Rihanna Fenty released her Fenty Beauty collection in 2017.

Makeup is an extension of the fashion industry, and Rihanna’s wave of 50 concealer shades—13 of which are for deep, dark tones—caused a tsunami.

According to Fenty Beauty’s website, “makeup became [Rihanna’s] weapon of choice for self-expression,” and she was inspired to launch her brand after “seeing a void in the industry for products that performed across all skin types and tones.” She focused on a “wide range of traditionally hard-to-match skin tones, creating formulas that work for all skin types, and pinpointing universal shades.”

REPRESENTATION IS PREVALENT Ontario-based Michele Taras debuted her label, Michele Taras, on the West Coast in the Vancouver Fashion Week (VFW) Spring/Summer 2020 show in October. The collection was in collaboration with jewellery designer Monica Frangulea of Musesa, and featured various First Nations languages saying ‘hello’.

Her clothes were modelled by a diverse group of people. These included a senior who was a part of the LGBTQIA2S+ community, a senior woman, a petite woman, a plus-size woman, an Indigenous person, a person in a wheelchair, a person who used a cane, and various people of colour. Taras gave Anahita Khalilian six looks for the show, and she was an amazing model and role model for others in a wheelchair.

“My message was just as much about who modeled for me as it was about the clothing,” says Taras. At the end of VFW, Taras came out with signs that said “Coast-to-Coast United”, showing her logo (of an eye in the middle of a maple leaf) as symbolizing that we are all Canadians looking out for one another.

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“We have so many amazing Canadian designers, we should be as excited to wear their clothing as we are by the big designer names from overseas,” says Taras.

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Authentic Indigneous art and design is showcased at Vancouver Indigenous Fashion Week (VIFW), which was created by former model Joleen Mitton, of Plains Cree descent. The four-day long event showing “the power and beauty” of Indigenous designers and creatives features fashion, reconciliation, and entertainment. Forty designers, artists and performers from across Canada took part in this years event.

Barbara Latkowski of the Prince George Citizen attended the first show in August 2017. The “Indigenous Fashion Week was inspired by history, politics, the environment and the economy, reclaiming stories of strength from a past rekindled through energy and vibrant colour,” she wrote.

First Nations models graced the runway held at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre Atrium, celebrating the beautiful works, and walking with pride.

VIFW also paid tribute to the missing and murdered First Nations women, inviting guests to wear a red piece of clothing. The tradition began in 2011, when Metis artist Jaimie Black honoured his missing sisters, by hanging red dresses hang from trees at the University of Manitoba to bring attention to the pressing issue.

FASHION STARTS CONVERSATIONS The widespread fury sparked a women’s march in Washington DC, that took place in January 2017. Co-creators of the PUSSYHAT Project, Jayna Zweiman and Krista Suh, wore their hand-made knitted pink cat-ear hats in solidarity for women’s rights. Their stance was realized in a massive wash of pink caps at the march.

But can fashion change the system? In 2019, when the US Senate held confirmation hearings for President Trump’s nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh, New York Fashion Week didn’t hold back.

A-list stylist and designer Jeremy Scott made a statement on day one, by wearing a shirt saying "Tell Your Senator 'NO' On Kavanaugh,” at the end of his show.

“We’re in an industry that’s meant to be about change,” says Creative Director of Conde Nast and Editor-in-Chief of American Vogue, Dame Anna Wintour, in a recent Vogue video interview, touching on the changes she saw in the Fall/Winter 2020 fashion weeks.

Runway shows are not the only ones to be a cause for change in the fashion industry, as seen in British Vogue’s September 2019 issue. The glossy print highlighted the women changing the agenda, and was guest edited by HRH the Duchess of Sussex, Megan Markle. The cover included New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg, 81-year-old activist and actor Jane Fonda, and LGBTQIA2S+ advocate, actor and producer Laverne Cox, titled Forces for Change.

Another act from the British royal family came from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II herself, when Donald Trump visited Buckingham Palace in June, 2019. The royal family is (meant to be) politically impartial, but HRH donned a brooch previously gifted

by Michelle Obama.

It was a small act, but an impactful one.

In the past and present, fashion can be the first impression a person makes and can be the opportunity to make a statement. Whether it’s locally or in the most influential fashion capitals of the world, the industry is an outlet for championing a cause—and shows no signs of slowing down.

LINK | April 2020

Many were angered by US President Donald Trump's election in 2016.

Trump had showcased behaviour that mistreats women, most notably in a viral Hollywood Access video—saying when you’re as famous as him, you can grab women “by the pussy,” and they will let you do it.

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words Mustafa Akhtar

Among the numerous consequences of COVID-19, one ugly side effect is racism.

From Trump labelling this coronavirus as the “China Virus,” to pandemic news headlines accompanied by pictures of people of East Asian descent, people are turning their fear of the virus into a phobia against people and where they come from.

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These attitudes existed long before the COVID-19 pandemic, and they often emerge in our classrooms, even at BCIT. How often do you hear your business instructor at BCIT classify “Asians” as a racial demographic for a luxury product? What is wrong with that, you ask? Well, Asians are not a homogenous group; they consist of people from various countries with varied incomes. Implying that all Asians are rich is an example of stereotyping.

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The beauty of our community is our diversity. Look around yourself—we are an inter-generational, ethnically diverse group. It takes all of us to create an equitable and inclusive environment at BCIT. Here are some lessons I learnt and un-learnt over that you can consider:

1. Stereotypes do not make good examples As mentioned before, stereotyping happens more than we think. The next time you are working on a marketing project, think about your demographics. Advertising luxury products? How about targeting people that have incomes over a certain level, rather than a particular ethnicity?

2.Use the right pronouns Pronouns matter, and it is critical that we use the right ones. I have been reading my Real Estate Law textbook, and it often uses the “his or her” identifier instead of the gender-neutral, “they.” This is a problem, as it excludes a large portion of the world.

Gender isn’t black and white; we are no longer categorizing people as just male or female because gender is a social construct with a wide spectrum. With this in mind, it is crucial for us to communicate in the most inclusive language possible, both in writing and in speech. If you are unsure of which gender a person identifies with, ask them!

3. Not everyone is heterosexual Let’s consider the show Modern Family. Cam and Mitch are parents to a lovely daughter, Lily. Except there is nothing conventional about the family—Cam and Mitch are a gay couple who have adopted a daughter from a family in Vietnam.

They often encounter strangers who ask them about a girlfriend or a wife, and then they have the tedious (and sometimes risky) task of correcting them. An awkward exchange. So, the lesson here is to never assume. The next time you ask your friend who their boyfriend is, pause, and ask about their partner instead. Maybe they have a partner who is not a boyfriend. Here’s hoping we can inch towards a more respectful environment. Remember: “Treat others the way they want to be treated.”

LINK | April 2020

Easy peasy, lemon squeezy? Said no one ever! We are humans. We make mistakes. We learn all the time. As your fellow student at BCIT, I urge you to self-examine your words and actions. Consider how they may impact others.

There are many gaps in the current curriculum in terms of inclusivity, but here’s hoping we can inch towards a more respectful environment. Remember: “Treat others the way they want to be treated.”

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PIPELINES friend, foe, or somewhere inbetween?

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words Darren Piper

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First, a brief history. Perhaps to the surprise of many (myself included), pipelines have been used to transport fossil fuels in Canada since the 1850’s. The first Canadian pipeline was built in 1853 to transport crude oil to Trois Rivieres, Quebec and was the longest pipeline in the world at 25 kilometers at that time.

However, it was not until the late 1940’s when pipeline use really took off. Leduc Alberta began developing vast reserves of crude oil and natural gas. Today there are more than 840,000 kilometers of pipelines in Canada, with most provinces having significant pipeline infrastructure in place.

To say that the history of the Canadian pipeline industry is complicated would be an understatement. There is an abundance of news stories involving the Canadian pipeline industry. There was the widely-debated Keystone XL pipeline which would have run from Alberta to Nebraska; Canadian regulators approved the project in 2010 but it was ultimately rejected by then-US President Barack Obama. Some will also recall the dismissal of Enbridge’s Northern Gateway pipeline in 2016, or the federal government’s $4.5 billion purchase of the Trans Mountain pipeline in 2018. In February of 2020, country-wide protests against the Coastal Gaslink pipeline in Northern BC have garnered considerable media attention. It’s clear that there is a lot of controversy around pipelines in this country. So, why all the hubbub?

For starters, it should be noted that these are highly complex issues, and each situation possesses its own unique set of facts.

With that said, the majority of pipeline-related issues in Canada tend to fall into one (or more) of three broad areas – environmental impact, economic impact, and land and title rights. According to federal government organisation, Natural Resources Canada,3 pipelines are a safe, reliable, and environmentally friendly way of transporting oil and gas, with an average of 99.999% of oil transported on federally regulated pipelines moving safely each year. This is no doubt a popular statistic among those whose livelihoods are dependant on pipeline projects.

The federal government’s National Energy Board (NEB) says that, of the approximate 1.3 billion barrels of oil transported in Canadian pipelines each year, about 1,084 barrels were spilled per

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year between 2011 and 2014. All of these figures paint a seemingly optimistic picture about pipeline safety in Canada in the recent years. People like Kenneth P. Green, an environmental scientist and Senior Fellow at the right-wing think tank Fraser Institute, admits that pipeline accidents are “unfortunate and regrettable,” but after conducting a lengthy study , concludes that “pipelines are without a doubt the safest way to transport oil and gas.”

Others, however, like former Green Party leader Elizabeth May, have been critical of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion in particular, saying that it directly belies Canada’s climate action goals. May has referenced a report by the Royal Society of Canada, a group of academics which assesses societal best practices, which suggests a lack of knowledge around the ability to clean up spills in certain environments.

Regarding the issue of land and title rights; Canada has a contentious history of disputes between First Nations, provincial and federal governments. Most people will likely be familiar with the term ‘unceded lands’, which refers to land which was never signed away by the Indigenous people who lived there before Europeans settled in North America. The Constitution Act recognizes and affirms Indigenous rights as rights related to the historical occupancy and use of the land by Indigenous peoples. Over the years, there have been many cases related to Indigenous title rights before the courts, and many of them involve pipelines. This is a complex subject with many moving parts and is likely to be a source of contention for some time.

There are also situations in which First Nations disagree amongst each other over territorial rights. We need only look back to the February 2020 protests as an example involving hereditary chiefs and elected band council chiefs from the Wet’suwet’en Nation in Northern BC. The head chiefs opposed the building of the Coastal Gaslink pipeline, which is set to carry natural gas through a section of unceded Wet’suwet’en territory. The elected band councils within the Wet’suwet’en Nation supported the project.

Hereditary chiefs have been asserted that they had responsibility over the 22,000 square kilometres of unceded territory.

Now then, as the title of the article asks, are pipelines a friend, foe, or somewhere in between? It most certainly depends on who you ask! In my limited and humble view, pipelines fall somewhere in between, in that they offer a means of energy transportation preferable to other methods that use tankers or rail. With that said, I believe we should focus our efforts on more sustainable and renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar, with an aggressive, yet realistic approach. In doing so, hopefully we can reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and pipelines.

Baker, N. (2020). Pipelines in Canada.

Natural Resources Canada. (2016). Pipelines Across Canada.

Natural Resources Canada. (2020). Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Concerning Federally-Regulated Petroleum Pipelines in Canada.

Green, K.P., & Jackson, T. (2020). Pipelines are the safest way to transport oil and gas. Fraser Institute.

The Royal Society of Canada. (2015). The Behaviour and Environmental Impacts of Crude Oil Released into Aqueous Environments.

Baker, R. (2020, February 26). A who's who of the Wet'suwet'en pipeline conflict. CBC News.

Jang, B., & Kirkup, K. (2020, March 10). Wet’suwet’en matriarch calls for hereditary governance to reflect views of elected councils. The Globe and Mail.

LINK | April 2020

The odds are that if you live in BC and have consumed any news in the last five or more years, you know what a pipeline is. You are also likely aware that they are used to transport crude oil or natural gas to communities across Canada (and parts of the United States). You may have also heard about certain groups protesting against pipeline construction or expansion.

But just how familiar is the average Canadian with pipelines? And more importantly, what are the facts?

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REDUCE REUSE REPURPOSE

the fashion edition words Maria Diment

In the present day, fashion is coming face-to-face with a more cautious market; consumers are conscious of sustainability.

Before fast fashion, clothes and designs came out every season, not every month. Designers were praised for their creativity and innovative use of fabric. Clothes were made of good, long-lasting materials. Before fast fashion, fashion had a higher value. A huge majority of the younger generation is trapped in the fast fashion cycle in conjunction to a Forbes claim that “69% of millennials buy clothes for reasons beyond basic necessity.”1 The average person buys 60% more clothing every year and keeps items about half as long as 15 years ago.2 Despite this, people have become more aware of unsustainable and unethical shopping, and are trying to do better. According to ThredUp, “More than 1 in 3 Gen Z’ers will buy second hand clothes as of 2019 and 74% of 18-29-year-olds prefer to buy from eco-conscious brands.”3 Locally, two first-year university students, sisters Maya and Maggy Omrani, are using their skills to build a sustainable gym fashion brand as up and coming ethical designers. The duo started out as fitness gurus, inspiring peers to embrace a healthy lifestyle. After some time in the gym, the girls noticed a trend. “We bought so much GymShark and Lululemon which we would throw out maybe in a year or two simply because [we] didn’t like wearing the same outfits for over two years.”

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As a fashion design student, Maya learned that most active wear contains either nylon or polyester. These materials are either impossible or incredibly difficult to recycle. She’s become aware of how constantly purchasing gym clothes contributes to the mountains of clothes that only worsen our climate. “Our final goal is to bring fashion to the gym in a way that’s not harming our environment,” Maggy Omrani said. They have chosen to reduce their carbon footprint and bring sustainability to an everyday component of their lives by repurposing the active wear they already own and combining it to make their own brand.

This passionate approach is not limited to the sisters and their brand. It encompasses sustainable fashion as a whole. There are many more methods of incorporating sustainable fashion into everyday life. Clothing swaps,4 second hand or vintage stores, minimalism, and shopping for slow, vegan, local fashion are some of the several ways consumers can make sustainable changes to their shopping habits. Slow fashion produces less but better-quality clothes.

Shoppers can make fashion sustainable by working together to encourage and promote mindful shopping. They can shed light to the smaller, local, sustainable brands as opposed to the popular fast fashion brands.

According to MillennialMarketing.com, “Almost 50% of millennials would be more willing to make a purchase from a company if their purchase supports a cause.”5 Let that cause be sustainable fashion. Let that cause be one with the best interests for planet Earth. Let that cause have a positive effect on your carbon footprint. The antidote for fast fashion is change and the force behind this is everyday people. Change begins with the consumer.

Ferguson, Sarah. “UNICEF USA BrandVoice: Keeping Children And Schools Safe Protects Us All.” Forbes. Forbes Magazine, March 30, 2020.

LeBlanc, Rick. “Textile and Garment Recycling Facts and Figures.” The Balance Small Business. The Balance Small Business, November 4, 2019.

REINHART, JAMES. “ICYMI: Used Is Taking Over! Check Out Our 2019 Resale ...” ThredUp. Accessed March 21, 2020.

Birkner, Cherie. “WHAT IS SUSTAINABLE FASHION?” Sustainable Fashion Matterz. Accessed March 10, 2020.

Millenial Marketing. JEFF FROMM. Accessed March 15, 2020.

LINK | April 2020

Over time, fast fashion has led to fabric mountains, and piles of clothing that will never be worn again. These piles are the result of brands like H&M and Zara keeping up with ever-changing styles.

Up until now, the fashion industry has been unaccountable for its unsustainable manufacturing methods and materials.

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